By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, Feb. 16, GNA – Management of Anaafo Aged Clinic, near the Cape Coast Castle has appealed to the public, corporate, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and philanthropists to assist the clinic to care for the aged.
Established in 2011 as a Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compound and later elevated as Aged Clinic, the facility offers primary healthcare services to the aged and residents under the supervision of a Physician Assistant.
Among others, the facility provides major health services including general medical consultation, emergency, dispensary, laboratory, home visits, Antenatal Care, reproductive and child health.
The well-thought-out facility, which is the only Aged Clinic in the Metropolis, appeared to be battling massive infrastructure deterioration due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
When the Ghana News Agency visited on Thursday, it saw multiple cracks in the pillars of the building with corroded metal railing exposed to the vagaries of the weather.
Aside that, fishmongers were busily trading and competing with patients for space while the sea waves roared rudely with many fisher folks turning the surroundings of the facility into homestead.
Operating under the cover of mending nets, the fishers had surreptitiously erected temporary wooden and concrete structures around the facility for various purposes.
Some squatters claimed they rented their structures for GHC20.00 per month from their homeowners.
The GNA further observed that scores of the squatters were preparing food under unhygienic conditions with flies hovering all around.
A huge billow of smoke from improvised ovens covered the airspace and created a chaotic breathing environment amidst stench from fresh fish.
Additionally, the facility shared an open boundary with the Anaafo premix depot, posing risk to the lives of health personnel, patients, and facilities around in case of an explosion.
Reacting to the observation, an official of the facility who pleaded anonymous, decried the sorry state of the strategic facility, and called for infrastructure and logistical support to improve health services for the aged in the ancient city.
According to the source, the facility that takes care of 50 to 60 patients per day had only two beds, limited space for effective antenatal services and laboratory services for enhanced service delivery.
The official corroborated the observations of GNA saying “the very people we serve have occupied the frontage of our facility giving a lean entrance.
“All attempts to move them have proved futile and as you can see, they have erected their structures all around.”
The elderly deserved a life with good health, dignity, economic independence and finally a peaceful death, the official said.
“They need care, love, affection and understanding, this will ensure their good health.”
According to the official, lending an emotional support to the elderly kept them happy and pleasant, an inevitable, ideal way to live a healthy life .
GNA